Under its PICE Green Engineering Project (PGEP), the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) through the PICE Quezon City chapter and its partner, the PICE Catanduanes chapter, is constructing a multi-purpose building at the back of Poniton Elementary School in Virac.
The one-storey structure is supposed to be typhoon-resistant, with features of a green building with solar lighting to ensure its continued serviceability even during nighttime and so does not rely on power grid line.
The design was the winner in a competition launched by the PICE National Board following the devastation wrought by typhoon Odette in Visayas and Mindanao in 2021 and super typhoon Rolly in Bicol.
As explained by its designer, Engr. Diocel Harold Aquino, the building is designed to withstand the ferocious winds of typhoons in Bicol, as it was originally planned to be erected in Legazpi City. They had to increase the wind load in designing the roofing once they learned it was to be built in Catanduanes, the Land of the Howling Winds.
Now, according to sources, there is a debate going on among local PICE officers if it would be appropriate to revise the roofing design from that of a GI sheet roof over steel frame into a reinforced concrete slab.
Certainly, an RC slab roof would survive multiple super typhoons, which often barrel into the island every few years.
But changing the original design would go against a provision of the memorandum of agreement executed by the PICE National Board headed by Pres. Ador Canlas, PICE QC Pres. Flora Ruiz, PICE Catanduanes Pres. Gil Balmadrid and JMA Ponition ES represented by DepEd SDS Susan Collano.
“The Designer shall assist in the construction phase up to completion to ensure that the design of the project is strictly implemented,” says the provision.
Replacing the design of the roofing would also go against an unspoken wish of Engr. Aquino to see his resilient design tested by super typhoons in the near future, especially those that pack winds of 285 to 320 kph.
Besides, an RC slab design would no longer qualify the PGEP building to bear the tag “resilient” as it would be virtually impervious to typhoons.
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Five mayors from Catanduanes were among the 600 local chief executives from insurgency-cleared areas who were invited by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and National Task Force-Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) to share their best practices in the implementation of the Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP) during the SBDP Summit 2022 slated on Nov. 7-8, 2022 in Clark, Pampanga.
DILG Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos, Jr. said the SBDP Summit aims to provide an avenue for the local chief executives (LCEs) to narrate their success stories and experiences on the implementation of SBDP and Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) as well as to apprise them on the short to medium term direction of the peace programs.
Among those who were invited were Mayors Samuel Laynes of Virac, Mayor Leo Mendoza of San Andres, Mayor Glenda Aguilar of Caramoran, Mayor Raul Tabirara of Pandan and Mayor Cesar Robles of Panganiban.
Seven (7) barangays in San Andres, two (2) in Panganiban and one each in the other three towns are among the beneficiaries of the RCSP in Catanduanes.
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IT’S A MIRACLE! A mother and her teen daughter arrive at the doctor’s office. The doctor says, “Okay, what seems to be the problem?”
The mother says, “It’s my daughter Suzie. She keeps getting these cravings, she’s putting on weight and is sick most mornings.”
The doctor gives Suzie a good examination, and then turns to the mother and says, “Well, I don’t know how to tell you this, but Suzie is pregnant. About 3 months would be my guess.”
The mother says, “Pregnant?! She can’t be, she has never ever been left alone with a man! Have you, Suzie?”
Suzie says, “No mom! I’ve never even kissed a man!”
The doctor walks over to the window and just stares out of it. A few moments later, the mother says, “Is there something wrong out there, doctor?”
The doctor replies, “No, not really. It’s just that the last time something like this happened, a star appeared in the East and three wise men came over the hill. I’ll be darned if I’m going to miss it this time! “